Rotary kiln chain arrangement



Nov. 4, 1941. R. c, NEwHoUsE 2,251,403

ROTRXr KILN CHAIN ARRANGEMENT A Filed Jan. 22, 1941 B. H. Puerner and Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED srfrnas PATENTOFFICE ROTARY mLN CHAIN ARRANGEMENT v Ray C. Newhouse, Wauwatosa, Wis., assigner tov Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application January 22, 1941, Serial No. 375,407

. 4 Claims.

' clinker to be cooled and crushed.` It was found that Iin some cases"V the chains impeded the ow .of material .through the 'kiln` to such an extent as to seriously affect the loutput capacity of the kiln. To obviate this difficulty a plurality of -helical ribs were introduced adjacent the kiln lining in certain zones of the' kiln, as more` particularly described in U. S. 'Patent 2,230,601 to E. C. Greisen, dated February 4, 1941.

While the arrangement vofcombined helical ribs and chains was helpful, it was found that with some materials there was still a zone in the kiln at-which the material did not iiow smoothly. In fact, at the zone-where the material becomes sticky, it would build up until it filled the spacer between the helical ribs, making the ribs useless at this point. f I

It is an object of the present invention to over Ycomethe diiiiculties of prior art kiln chain systems explained above.

Further ob'jects of the invention 'are to provide auxiliary short slack chains between adjacent ribs in a rotary-kiln; to connectlsuch slackchains to the ribs adjacent the lining of the kiln at axially spaced points of the kiln; and. to arrange such slack chains so that they sweep over a substantial portion of the surface of the kiln lining Fig. 3 isa fragmental enlargement illustrating the meansfor attaching the chains of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is asectional view takenffrom the right of Fig. 3;y Y

'Fig 5 is a fragmental sectional Aview similar to Fig.' 1, but illustrating a modification in which circular ribs are substituted for the helical ribs of Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section view of the modification of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 'I is a fragmental development view similar y t0 Fig. 2, but illustrating a modification in which the kiln is provided with ribs parallel to the axis of the kiln, rather than the helical ribs of Figs. 1 to 4.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, kiln I D comprises a metal shell II and refractory lining I2. through which pass a plurality of supports I3 which are attached to shell I I and carry. a plurality of helical lribs I4, which are retained adjacent to refractory lining I2. The ribs I4 may be fastened 'to supports I3 by any suitable bolts I6. rSo long as'the material passing through the kiln flows freely, ribs I 4 aid in forwarding the material from the feed end to the discharge end of the kiln.

When the material becomes sticky, however, the channels Vbetween adjacent ribs become filled with 'the material, and the ribs are then ineffec.

tive to promote passage of the material. The ordinary long chains used in cement kilns are of little help, since the ribs themselves prevent intimate contact between these chains and most of the kiln lining. ATo overcome this diilculty, in accordance with this invention, a plurality of short slack chains I1 are mounted adjacent the bottom .or radially outer portions of`the ribs I4,l each chain having its ends axially spaced and connected,v as at I8, to adjacent ribs. f

Chains I1 are made substantially longer than the straight-line or peripheral distancebetween the attachment points I8 of the ends of each chain, so that each chain hangs with a considerable amount of slack. This results in the slack part of the chain wiping along a substantial part of the surface of the lining during rotation of the kiln in use.

Referringto Fig. 2, for example, it will be noted that as the development section of the kiln shown therein rises during rotation of the kiln, the slack portions of the chain hang down, enclosing a*I large portion of the lining surface .between the points'of attachment of each chain and the point of attachment of the next lower chain. These same chains will wipe over the kiln surface and hang in the opposite direction from the points of attachment of each chain during that y part of the cycle of rotation'when the section of the kiln to which the chain is attached is being lowered. As shown, the areas of surface lining wiped by each chain preferably overlap the areas wiped by adjacent chains. Due to the slack of eachchain and its attachment to adjacent ribs near the surface of the lining. the assembly of chains Il wipe over most of the surface of the kiln lining, in the zone of the kiln occupied by such chains, and prevents the pluggingup of the kiln, as it is commonly'referred to in theart.

It is to be understood that the chains of this invention may be used in any desired part of the l kiln and will not usually be required throughout the usual chain zone of the kiln. These chains are not intended to be a substitute for the standard chains used in cement kilns, as these will also be required in most cases. The standard chains have not been shown in the drawing in order to avoid confusion.

Figs. 5 anais must-rate the chains 21 of the present invention connected at 28 to the radially outer portions of circular ribs 24, which may be utilized in certain kilns. The desired result of sweeping a large portion of the kiln lining surface is obtained by connecting chains 21 with a considerablevamount of slack, as shown, to the radially outer portions of adjacent ribs 24.

The chains of the present invention are also applicable to kilns provided with ribs 34 parallel between adjacent ribs during rotation of the It is claimed and desired to secure, by'Letters Patent: I

l. A rotary kiln comprising a shell,ribs carried by said shell and extending inwardly thereeach of said chains being located betweenadjacent ribs and having its ends attached to said adjacent ribs at the radially outer portions of said ribs and at axially spaced points, the length of each chain being substantially greater than the distance along the inner surfaceof the kiln between the points of attachment o! said chain.

2. A rotary kiln comprising a shell, helical ribs carried by said shell and extending inwardly therefrom,and a plurality of chains within said kiln, each of said chains being located between adjacent helical ribs and having its ends attached to said adjacent ribs at axially spaced points at the radially outer portions of said ribs, the length of each chain being substantially greater than the'distance along the inside surface of the kiln between the points of attachment of said chain.

3. A rotary kiln comprising a shell," axial ribs carried by said shell and extending inwardly therefrom, and a plurality of chains within said .kiln, each of saidI chains being located between adjacent axial ribsand having its endsattached to said adjacent ribs at axially spa/ced points at the radially outer portions of said ribs, the length of each chain being substantially greater than.

the distance along the inside surface of the kiln between the points of attachment of said chain.

4. AA rotary kilncomprising a shell, a refractory lining within said kiln, ribs carried bysald shell adjacent the inner surface of said lining and-extending inwardly therefrom, and a plurality bf chains connected at their ends to adjacent ribs at axiallyspace'd points thereon adjacent said lining, the connection pointsiof said chains being so spaced as to provide considerable slack-in said chains to sweep over the inner surface of said lining during rotation of said from, and a plurality of chains within said shell,

kiln, said chains being so spaced from each other that the areas of lining surface swept by adjacent chains overlap, whereby substantially the .entire lining surface of the kiln zone equipped rwith said chains is kept clean of sticky material.

RAY C. NEVHOUSE. 

